Inov-8 past experiences welcome......

When I got my Trailroc 235s from Lakes Runner I was advised to Shoe-Goo over that area between the rubber toe bumper and the start of the reinforced area before wearing them, as that appeared to be the weak point. I'm wondering whether to also treat the same area on the inside? And those pictures on the German website make me wonder whether I should be sticking the Goo all over the lowest inch of the whole uppers!!!

Pete S: I'm amazed what you said about the fit - I waited for the Trailrocs to come out because they're on the anatomic last and give me the room I need in the toes.

Pete S: I'm amazed what you said about the fit - I waited for the Trailrocs to come out because they're on the anatomic last and give me the room I need in the toes.

The roclites are on the endurance last which is a "Generous fitting and offering a more comfortable style" than the natural last used on the trail roc. ("Based on the shape of the foot, this is our most natural fit. More room in the toe box allows the toes to spread.")

Admittedly there is more toe room than the performance last I find the endurance used in the roclite 295 far more roomy than the natural. Also, both the roclite 268 and trailroc 246 are available in womens fit which will have a narrower heel cup.

The Gore-tex has a lifetime guarantee, too, so the point could be argued, that if it is ripped, then it is no longer fit for purpose. It's not as if we're running through brambles all day, in fact the running I have done has been pretty easy going trails. The 195s have phenomenal grip still.

I have previously mentioned the Merrell Trailglove, however please bear in mind I have not given them anywhere near the usage of the 195s (have read too many nightmare stories about achilles issues). Having said that, they have been waded through fords, heavy mud, in the washing machine etc and there is no damage to them yet - not forgetting that the sole is certainly not as grippy as the 195, definitely avoid anything slippery when wet! I would be careful with wet rocks and tree roots, other than that it is great on the trail.

Running the Ridgeway 40 this year for the first time ever, first ultra too, so will be interesting to see how the 252s perform (this is what Inov-8 have suggested as the replacement for my ripped 195s) as well as my poor legs!. All I know is, the day I threw away my cushioned Nikes, my knee pain vanished (probably because I was forced into a better running position), and the chances of a twisted ankle became far less likely as my foot started to remember what it was like to actually feel the ground!

And remember, these shoes retail at £110 RRP, they should perform like it, and be durable for quite some time. I've seen people's comments on forums about the trade off between light shoe/less durable, heavier shoe/more durable; I just dont subscribe to that point of view. Inov-8 states their shoes are up to the task. They don't tell you at the point of purchase that these are a lighter model so may wear out quicker, so they should at least last a few hundred miles. This issue has developed from 20miles to 200miles in, and that's just not good enough.

Get them replaced, and maybe they'll start listening when it hits them in their pocket!

Pete S: Ah, I remember now, yes the Roclite were okay for width, but I needed something much more minimalist - too much sole and too much heel-toe drop, not enough flexibility for me. I commented in the shop that none of the minimalist ones had good toe box room and was told about the Trailrocs, so I waited for those.

So, should I be spreading the Goo all along both sides, get them reinforced in advance???

I've literally just sent an email to innov8 to complain about a tear on both trainers at the point just before the small toe. I've had them for a month training for the VLM and really liked them until now. For the money they should last longer. They've asked me to return them to Amazon who will then return them to Innov8, bit of a long process but I intend to.

I've moved over to the Saucony A5's which I'm happier with so could be a blessing in disguise

Pete S: Ah, I remember now, yes the Roclite were okay for width, but I needed something much more minimalist - too much sole and too much heel-toe drop, not enough flexibility for me. I commented in the shop that none of the minimalist ones had good toe box room and was told about the Trailrocs, so I waited for those.

So, should I be spreading the Goo all along both sides, get them reinforced in advance???

No experience of Goo, sorry. Going to upload the images of our shoes asap so you can see the damage location.

Blue ones less than 2 months old (replicated in 3 other pairs from this friend), grey sub 100 miles (same thing occurred in four other pairs of 195s from this friend), black sub 400k for a fat boy at 107kgs!

I've worn through Inov-8 295 and 190s; mind you I've also worn through Wave Harriers, NB and Swoops before the soles have gone. The NBs were sorted under warranty, everything else has been 'reasonable use' in my book. For a lightweight product that has a hell of a life, it's tough for any manufacturer to get the balance right. As you say, Inov have a human face and can help. I've come to realise that the dirt around here is quite corrosive nad have reluctantly started to look after stuff slightly better.

Purplepig - Just bought the Trailroc 255. I would normally have gone for something lighter like the 245 or maybe the 235 but also doing and Ultra soon so wanted to play safer. Been on 2 runs of 9 and 14 and love them. Plenty of room in front dure to anatomical last and a bit more robust around the area near the little toe that seems to be causing problems. No heel counter which I love -nice and soft all round. Decent grip too

I run in X-talon 212's and I love them. Light, tough and they dry real quick. Hugely stable, better than average grip and a balanced ride. On the down side they are pricey but once you know your size you can get them newish off ebay for about £50 or slightly less.

Minion - Just an observation but in the picture 2nd from bottom you can see how much the foot is hanging over the sole of the shoe just standing still, the extra pressure of running on it and I am not too surprised the upper failed. The f-lite 195 is a narrow performanc fit, I have a similar issue but have just got a pair of the 232 anatomical fit and there is far less pressure on the outside.

The little toe area is a common weakness apparently so I would like to see that amended. Maybe bring the rubber on the end of the toes round just a little further?

The sole of the shoe is advertised as soft, they list that will wear faster. The little nobble bits do go pretty faster but the actual block of the tread has lasted over 500 miles easily on a couple of pairs. I think your photos show the actual blocks of tread still well in tact.

WiB: Yes, I agree, doesn't look good. But hopefully the anatomic fit will work. Inov-8 are replacing our 195s with 252s that should give a lot more room for toe splaying.

I can understand they are a narrow, performance fit, but these are also marketed for running and trails (not heavy ones!). In one of the videos I posted above, the Inov-8 guy can be heard stating that they definitely want to be thought of as a runner's company as well as cross training, so I presume this is why the focus this year has shifted toward anatomic fits.

Once we've had a chance to try out the new trainers I'll post back with some feedback.

I bought a pair of Trailroc 245s at Christmas and was dismayed to see that two holes had developed in the webbing on the right shoe after only 120 miles; one just above the little toe, the other next to the hard plastic in the motif/logo. This is put into sharp contrast to a pair cheap Addidas Kanadia shoes I bought in a rush after forgetting my Salomons one weekend. They were a third of the price of the trialrocs and lasted well over 600 miles. I've sent the Trailroc's back to the vendor and am awaiting their assesment on whether they deem it to be a manufacturer fault. I also sent a message of complaint to Inov_8. They replied saying the uppers were being modified in later models. Sounds to me like they know there's a problem, with these shoes at least.

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